The Last Transformation of Chat Noir
by eLynda
Summary: Set about ten years into the future. After an unusually long stretch with no activity from Hawk Moth, Chat Noir begins to think his time as a superhero has run its course. But before he returns his miraculous to Master Fu, he has one thing he needs to do first. A low angst, lots of fluff, reveal fic.
1. Another Quiet Night

Author's Note: This show may not find me as part of its usual demographic, but with littles at home, I have watched this show, and most episodes, many times. I have wanted to speculate a bit on what the future may look like for the super-duo, say ten years ahead. If you look at other fanfic I've written, you'll notice the theme: I am a bit impatient when shipping a couple, so I couldn't resist writing one for this fandom. This started as AdrieNette with a little MeriChat thrown in, but that got completely reversed somehow. I also intended to stop with a one-shot, and I'm currently on the fourth chapter. Guess I have been slowly coming to love those two even more than I realized!

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from _Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir_ and I make no profit from this story. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just enjoying some time with a few of my favorite television characters. The story is mine, except where directly quoting or referencing episodes.

* * *

Like so many Parisian nights of late, it was gorgeous, mild, and akuma-free. It had been a remarkably long stretch since Hawk Moth had caused trouble in France's capital. And with the setting sun, Marinette found herself on her balcony as had become her custom, forearms supporting her against the railing, fingers loosely linked, as she looked into the twilight.

The softly padding feet behind her brought a smile to her face when she recognized their approach. "Hello, Kitty. I was wondering if I missed hearing about an attack while I did the dinner dishes," she said without turning.

"Not at all, Milady. I was just a bit late starting patrols this evening, but still wanted to check everything out. Miss me much?"

"You know I did, silly Kitty." She turned and grinned at his expectant face, then quickly traversed the steps between them to enter his open arms. She felt at ease and peaceful as he nuzzled her hair; a light rumble from his chest reached her ears at the same time she heard his heartbeat quicken.

"This is where I have wanted to be all day, Marinette. You don't know how much." She leaned back in his arms a bit, though neither went far. "Everything okay?"

He nodded. "Now it is. But I have something to tell you." He inhaled deeply, then exhaled again. "I won't be back like this for a while. Maybe never."

The floor rolled beneath her feet. Despite the time they'd spent together, he wasn't coming back? He had changed so much, they both had, grown, together, she'd thought. What had she missed?

When he began calling her "Milady" several years ago, she thought he'd finally uncovered her alter ego. After a bit of shock, she realized he hadn't even noticed what he'd done; it had been subconscious on his part. It felt right, natural even. But the next time they met, she in her Ladybug role, he flinched when he called her by the familiar nickname.

"Chat Noir? Are you all right? Are you hurt?"

"Fine, Mi—Bugaboo." He flashed her the wide, flirty smile she now recognized as his professional superhero persona. "I just remembered a previous engagement. We have to keep up our normal appearances, don't we?" A wink later, he was gone, and she was confused.

From that moment, something had changed, though it took her a while to understand that a shift had occurred. Anyone leading a double life is bound to get a little loopy at times, but seeing the same person in both lives can become dizzying. It was a gradual shift, but Chat's visits to Marinette's balcony had increased after that, and his flirting with Ladybug had decreased. They were still great partners, friends even, but he never called her "Milady" again. Occasionally a "Bugaboo" would slip out, but most often he simply called her Ladybug.

At the same time, he called Marinette by the nickname almost daily. When she questioned him about it, he stumbled over himself a little bit and finally asked, "Do you mind? I—I didn't realize I was doing it, but I find it fits you. I'd never wish distress upon the fair Marinette, but should you need me, this knight would ride bravely to your defense, Milady." He finished with a flourish and kissed her hand with a wink.

Marinette laughed, a full, happy sound. "No, Kitty. I rather like it." She wasn't sure when it had happened, maybe because he hadn't been trying so hard to impress her as Marinette as when she'd been Ladybug, but she enjoyed the banter they shared and deciphering the man behind the mask. And the better she knew him, the more she loved him.

It hadn't scared her to admit it finally, as it crept up on her slowly. He was still flirtatious, but not like he had been with Ladybug. There wasn't as much joking around about it; it seemed more focused somehow, almost serious. And as he focused on her, his pursuit of Ladybug seemed to go the natural way of one-sided affection.

But now he wasn't coming back? Their time was over? The shock was something she'd have to deal with later. Perhaps her own affection had been of the one-sided variety, though his act had certainly been convincing and she'd never seen this coming. Her defenses were weak, she supposed, since Chat had been chipping away at them a long time, though he didn't know she and Ladybug were the same woman.

By unspoken agreement, she never sought to know who he was when he visited her as Marinette, and he'd never revealed himself. Maybe it was out of respect for Ladybug's edict that he had not shared his true identity. Though Marinette felt she knew him far better than anyone else, far better than she ever could have had she only known him as Ladybug, she also understood that if he left now, it was well and truly over; she'd never find him without knowing his real name.

She inhaled sharply as she stepped out of his embrace. "I see." Her arms crossed over her chest, a shield against the hurt.

"Marinette! Wait!" He stepped toward her, hand reaching out for her. "I'm bungling this terribly."

"No, it's okay. We were never anything official, Chat. No declarations, no promises were made." She stepped further away and turned, willing the sobs down, trying to preserve what dignity remained until he vaulted away into the night, this time for good. "But surely saying you hoped you'd never return wasn't necessary, even if it was honest."

"No, Marinette. Oh, no! That's not what I meant at all. I've made a complete mess of what I really want to say. Please, give me a chance to explain?" He reached for her once more but was afraid to touch her lest she refused him.

"Okay." She nodded but didn't turn to face him again.


	2. A Future

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from _Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir_ and I make no profit from this story. No copyright infringement is intended I'm just enjoying some time with a few of my favorite television characters. The story is mine, except where directly quoting or referencing episodes.

* * *

He immediately reached out to her and pulled her back into his arms, protectively wrapping them around her from behind. She relaxed slightly and he could breathe again. "Marinette, when I said I hoped you'd never see me again, I meant like this. In disguise. I want you to see me, all of me, the real me. You've already seen the man behind the mask, more so than anyone, even those who see me without it every day. But I'm coming to realize that it's not enough for me anymore."

He felt her begin to stiffen again, and he held on tighter. "No. Listen. I'm starting to realize I want it all, Marinette. A future. Out of the shadows." He inhaled. "With you."

Neither moved. Had he just said that? Out loud? Too soon? She hadn't "known" him as long as he'd known her. Well, she did, but she didn't know that yet. Should he have revealed himself first, before showing her his heart? No going back now, it was all or nothing at this point. He turned her around and gently lifted her chin to look him in the eyes.

"I'm starting to understand that I've been afraid, Milady. Afraid of rejection, or of somehow losing you." Marinette opened her mouth to speak but a light touch of his fingers to her lips stopped her. "No, Milady. Let me finish before I become too much of a scaredy-cat to get this all out."

He felt her smile beneath his touch, humor lightening the moment, but he forced himself to continue. "It's happened time and again in my life, Marinette. Sometimes choices were made by those I thought I knew, and sometimes events happened completely out of anyone's control."

Her eyes widened, but she kept silent. "I know you, and you know me better than anyone, yet you don't even know my real name. But I want to hear my name on your lips. I want to take you to the movies, to dinner, to find Andre's ice cream cart together." That flirtatious grin reappeared as one of his eyebrows quirked.

"We can't do that like this, as Chat Noir and Marinette. I have feared what might happen if Hawk Moth tried to use you to get to me. The danger seems past now, but what if he's just waiting for the opportunity to strike again? I couldn't live with myself if I felt I put you in danger by being with you. The problem is, I'm not sure I can live with myself now, anyway, if you're not with me. I need you, Marinette."

Her heart was racing now. What was he saying? Did he really want to quit being Paris' protector? For her?

"What about Ladybug?"

"Ladybug? Marinette, that's been over a long time. I thought my visits to you would have spoken for themselves. Surely you know I'm not interested in anyone else? I don't often hold women in my arms, kiss their hair, think of them all day until I can see them again." He couldn't resist pulling her close again.

She smiled. "I was hoping I hadn't misread your actions, but you did give me a scare when you said you never wanted to see me again. My head is still spinning from that. But what I mean is, who will help Ladybug save Paris now, if you're not there?"

"She doesn't need me, Marinette, not really. Another miraculous holder can take my place if it becomes necessary."

"But, what will you do, Kitty, if you're not, well, Kitty?"

He laughed. "I'll go to work as I have been, you know, like a normal adult, but this time without awkward excuses for needing to dash out. I may sleep at night again. Take my girlfriend out on a date."

"G-girlfriend?"

"You, Marinette. I mean you. It's only been you, for a long time." His excitement was growing and he held her hands in his, squeezing them lightly. "Let's go out on a double date with your married friends, Alya and Nino. Or we can watch their baby girl and let them go out. Or I can meet your parents and let them interrogate me about my intentions toward their daughter. All that normal stuff I've never done. Teach me to be normal, Marinette?"

She couldn't hold back the tears or the laughter. "You crazy cat! You couldn't be normal if you tried. And I'm certainly no expert at it!"

He pulled her tightly to him once more. "No, I guess you wouldn't be, would you? You're too extraordinary to be normal."

She swatted his chest. "Laying it on thick, aren't you, Chat?"

"Nope. Truth Milady. I've known you for years. I have experience."

"Well, yeah, you have come to my balcony many times, since we were teens."

"No, Milady. In normal, everyday life, I know you—without my mask. I have since high school."

She swallowed hard and put a restraining hand on his chest. "Chat. Wait. Are you sure about this? We can't go back once I know."

"You don't want to know?"

"No, Kitty. I feel the same way you do. But I don't want you to regret what you'll be giving up, and we can't undo this."

He covered her hand and held it against his chest. "I will never regret being with you, Marinette. I've thought about it a long time. It's time to put away my miraculous. For good. You're my future, if you'll have this mangy, old, soon-to-be house cat?"

Marinette pushed up on her toes and softly kissed his cheek. "Anytime. All the time."

"Well then, in that case, close your eyes, Milady." Once her eyes were shut, he said the words that would reveal who he was to another person for the first time: "Plagg, claws in."


	3. The Truth

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from _Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir_ and I make no profit from this story. No copyright infringement is intended I'm just enjoying some time with a few of my favorite television characters. The story is mine, except where directly quoting or referencing episodes.

* * *

He watched anticipation and a little trepidation play across her beautiful face; once her eyes were opened, literally and figuratively, he'd know if he'd made the right decision to tell her now or if he'd just been impatient to finally start living life with her in it. Regardless, it seemed only right to cement the ending to this part of their relationship, and begin the next, with a kiss.

He placed his hands on either side of her face, slowly drawing her closer. Her eyes were still closed, but surely she knew what he was doing. Trust was all over her face, along with the smile that formed as he closed the gap between them, until finally, softly, he pressed his lips to hers.

Their first kiss was sweet, gentle, an introduction of sorts. He had determined not to kiss her until he could do so without the mask. He had held her, laughed with her, cried with her, kissed her on the cheek or the top of her head as he hugged her, but he wanted that first real kiss to be a turning point. And it was, though she didn't know it yet, for she still hadn't opened her eyes.

Foreheads leaning together, he opened his eyes to see hers still closed, but with a radiant smile on her face. He grinned, and had she seen him at that moment, she would have realized Chat Noir was just as much a part of Adrien as he was a persona he adopted while in disguise.

"Milady?"

"Hmmmm?"

"Don't you think you should open your eyes now?" he teased.

"But I'm happy. I don't want to open my eyes. I'm afraid I'm dreaming and you'll be gone."

"Never, Marinette. I'm still here, still me. I just lost the costume."

She inhaled, steeling herself for the reveal. It wasn't that she didn't want to know, but she knew she would soon have to tell him the whole truth, too.

He caressed her face, kissed her lips once more. "Milady, look at me. Please?"

Her smile returned, and her eyes fluttered open. Though the sun had long since gone down, the string of lights above them provided a soft glow that allowed her to see him for the first time. The smile grew.

"Adrien?" The hand that flew to her mouth couldn't stop the giggle that bubbled up from within.

He returned the smile, but suddenly shy and a little uncertain without the mask, he looked down. When the waiting for her to say something became unbearable, he raised his eyes to hers once more. "Surprised?"

She giggled again, sounding much like her teenage self, the one he had started falling in love with before he recognized what was happening. The one who taught him how deep emotions could run without even trying.

"Yes. No. Maybe? Looking back, I can see I should have realized. But I was too busy trying to understand how my feelings for both of you were changing, I mean, you—er—and you? Each of you? Both of you? Both parts of you!—that I couldn't see I had fallen for the same man, twice."

She reached up to touch his face, hesitantly, still trying to reconcile the man before her with the superhero cat. When her fingers touched his brow, where the mask had always been before, his eyes closed and a smile curved his lips. Then her hand moved down the side of his face and stilled at his cheek, where he covered her smaller one with his own. "That's nice."

Marinette released the breath she had been holding, then inhaled again. "I really should have known. But your more outgoing, flirty Chat Noir personality threw me for a long time. And you treated me so differently than you ever had as Adrien. Why? If you wanted a relationship with me, surely you knew I had a super-crush on you, almost from the beginning? I would have fallen at your feet if you'd asked me out!" Her eyes widened, surprised that she just admitted that aloud.

He flashed that flirty grin again. "I wasn't sure you would. You were an enigma for a while, Marinette, jumbling your words and seemingly seeking me out at the same time you avoided me. You were always nice, but a bit hard to get to know at first. When I assumed the Chat Noir identity, though, you intrigued me.

"Remember that first time I really interacted with you as Chat Noir, that whole Evillustrator incident? You were amazing and unafraid—it was a side of you I hadn't seen before. But you also seemed immune to my flirtatious ways. And other times, when I was discouraged, defeated even, you didn't hesitate to listen to me, to share some of your own struggles and provide encouragement, right here on this balcony. No one else would have taken the time to do that, Marinette, certainly not with the same sensitivity and kindness."

He cleared his throat, looked down briefly in embarrassment, then back up into her face. "You know I once thought I couldn't care for anyone but Ladybug. But after years of trying to get her to see me as more than her crime-fighting partner, I began to understand I couldn't ever know her the same way I was coming to know you. We will always be friends and partners, but the need for secrecy means we can't share the most important parts of ourselves.

"But you helped me sort through a lot of those tangled up thoughts and emotions, Marinette. You've shown me what a real, lasting partnership could look like, one where we could share everything. But only after there were no more secrets between us." He took her hands in his once again.

"Chat—I—um—"

"A moment more, Milady. Then it's your turn." That smile again. Her knees wouldn't keep her standing too much longer if he kept looking at her like that.

"Once we were in college, you seemed more confident around me, more yourself, the woman that I was coming to know as Chat Noir from our visits up here. I considered pursuing you as Adrien, maybe even letting Alya set us up on a date to see how it might go, I didn't think she'd mind. But I got scared and let that idea go. I didn't want things to be awkward in our group of four if it didn't work out. So I just kept visiting you up here. Behind the mask it was safer.

"Too late, it finally registered in my mind that I was falling in love with you. By that point, I had revealed too much as Chat Noir and you would have easily put the pieces together as we naturally got to know each other. I felt like I had to keep you safe by keeping you in the dark about my double life, and suddenly I found I hated the mask I'd hidden behind. I was stuck, in love with my best friend in both parts of my life, and forced to remain just as silent in both parts, too."

Marinette looked into his eyes, squeezing his hands. "Oh, Kitty. Adrien." His name came out as a soft sigh. "I gave up on you when we graduated. I finally let the dream of you go, figuring four years was plenty for you to know what and who you wanted, that we were meant to be good friends and no more. That's when I relaxed and could behave as an almost normal human being. And—I'd met someone else by then." She turned her face away as her cheeks took on a pink hue.

"Someone else, Milady? You never told me about someone else, either one of me."

She turned back toward him, an amused look on her face. "Hmmmm. I wonder how that conversation might have gone?" She looked upward as she removed one hand from his and tapped her chin with her index finger. "'Well—uh—Adrien, I know I've acted like a crazy person all these years, but now I realize I'm coming to care for someone else deeply, and he's taken over my daydreams. I think we're better off as friends after all. Who? Oh, yeah, well—Chat Noir and I have this evening visit thing going and—'"

Adrien grabbed her around the waist, lifted her up, and swung her around, a massive grin lighting his face. Placing her back on her feet, he pulled her into a hug and exhaled into her hair. "Whew. You had me worried for a moment there!"

She laughed. "Silly Kitty. Don't you know it's only you? Apparently, it's always been only you, Adrien." She kissed his cheek, then smiled at him. "Come, sit down. I think I have a story you might find entertaining."


	4. The Whole Truth

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from _Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir_ and I make no profit from this story. No copyright infringement is intended I'm just enjoying some time with a few of my favorite television characters. The story is mine, except where directly quoting or referencing episodes.

* * *

The night air had taken on a bit of a chill, even though she felt like she was floating on a cloud. She shivered slightly as they sat, and Adrien drew her closer to his side, rubbing her arm to warm her. "How about I run down and grab you a blanket from your room?"

"Thanks, Kitty. Adrien? What do I call you now? This seems so strange, like a dream. Are you sure it's not, that you'll really come back?"

"It's real, Milady." He kissed her cheek. "Call me whatever you like. I'll answer to anything if you're the one calling. Be right back." He winked and let himself down into her room through the trapdoor.

She sat for a moment, soaking it all in. Truth was, Paris had survived the worst Hawk Moth could dish out, and now it appeared to be over. She'd been thinking about returning the miraculous to Master Fu for a while now, but had resisted the idea for a long time, telling herself it would take too much time to get it back should another attack occur. A while ago, after more than four months without any sign of Hawk Moth, she was forced to admit the truth: she didn't want to return it. If she did give the miraculous back, there was no guarantee she'd ever see Chat Noir again and she'd never know who had captured her heart. That was no longer a problem.

"Tikki, spots on!"

When Adrien returned a few minutes later, he found Ladybug leaning back against the railing, watching him come up to the balcony. "Ladybug? Is everything okay?" He looked at the seat where Marinette had been, but she wasn't there. "Where's Marinette?" He looked around again.

"Marinette?" he called. He suddenly felt a sense of panic, that he had let down his guard too soon and his worst fears were already coming true, at just the moment happiness was within his grasp. Right as he was about to transform, he remembered he hadn't revealed himself to Ladybug yet; he'd need to find an excuse to head back downstairs.

Ladybug walked toward him, a strange smile on her face. "She's fine, Adrien. No need to worry."

"But where'd she go? We were—uh—in the middle of something."

"I know, and that's why I'm here, Adrien. I needed to talk to you."

"Me? Hold on—how did you know to find me here?" His brain was desperately trying to catch up, but the adrenaline response that activated when he thought something had happened to Marinette kept a crucial piece of the puzzle hovering just beyond his mind's reach.

She had moved steadily closer and was standing directly in front of him now. "Silly Kitty. It does make me feel better, though, to know I'm not the only one who has missed the obvious."

She reached up to touch his cheek. He stepped back. He'd never seen this side of her before. Years ago, he'd dreamed about it, but not now. He didn't want to hurt her, but he didn't feel that way toward her anymore. The only one he wanted to look at him like that was—wait. Her eyes—something about them, more than just the color—he knew that look. What? Could it be?

"Mar—Marinette?"

Her smile widened. "You did have an advantage, since you started this whole thing, but I won't contradict you when you say you knew it before I told you. Tikki, spots off."

As the disguise disappeared, Adrien nearly fell to the floor. He'd been in love with the same woman this whole time, just two different sides of her? How had he missed it, for so long? "How could I not know?"

"Kitty? Really? After seeing what your revelation did to me, you're surprised to have missed the same things? It's not so hard to understand, now that I've had a few moments to begin processing it. We weren't looking for it. It's as simple as that."

He smiled at her. "A gracious answer, Milady. Thank you." He bowed, then held up the blanket he had brought, wrapping it around her.

They sat down side by side, and as she snuggled into him, she decided to ask something that had been bothering her for a while, though she never could have asked him before without revealing her own dual identity.

"Speaking of 'your lady,' why did you quit calling Ladybug that? It happened rather abruptly, but when you were with me as Marinette, you still used it. The first time you did that, I was terrified you'd figured me out, but from your reaction just now I'm guessing you were as surprised by me as I was by you."

"That's an easy one to answer. I may have been a flirtatious alley cat, but my heart can only belong to one woman. As soon as I began to see you that way, I couldn't call Ladybug 'my lady' anymore. You were, or I hoped you would be. Actually, that was my first clue that I had begun to fall in love with you. I guess I had started thinking of you as mine, and then it came out in my speech, too."

She hugged him from her seat beside him.

He chuckled, then kissed the side of her head. "I think I'm still in a bit of shock."

"Welcome to my world, Kitty." And with that, she kissed his lips, clouding thought even further.


	5. For Old Times' Sake

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from _Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir_ and I make no profit from this story. No copyright infringement is intended I'm just enjoying some time with a few of my favorite television characters. The story is mine, except where directly quoting or referencing episodes.

* * *

The wind whipped through her hair as she swung through the night with the help of her yo-yo, her long-time partner at her side, bounding from rooftop to rooftop. When they arrived at the Eiffel Tower, they took up their customary perch, high at the top, and looked out over the city lights, some of which were reflected in the shiny ribbon of the River Seine below.

"I'm glad we decided to do this one more time, Milady."

Marinette smiled. It seemed right for Chat Noir to be calling her that again as Ladybug. So much had changed in the past few days, and yet much of it seemed a simple continuation of the way it had always been. She moved closer and he draped his arm over her shoulder, both of them enjoying the contact.

"I agree. I will miss the freedom that comes with Ladybug, though. Flying through the air is an incredible experience."

"Regrets?"

"No, Chat. Not really. This view is something spectacular, but it's time." She looked at him. "Time to start living during the daytime again, just one life this time."

Chat Noir's famous grin spread across his face. "Music to my ears, Milady."

"What about you? Anything you'd do differently?"

"It's been a wild ride, but no." He looked into her face, wondering again how he could have missed the obvious for so long. He chuckled. "Well, maybe I'd have seen earlier what was right in front of me."

She smiled. "But think of all the fun we'd have missed if we had seen it sooner."

He grinned back at her. "The fun is just beginning, Milady." He sealed the promise with a kiss.

* * *

They stood outside the door the next morning, hesitating for some reason; they had agreed, they both were ready. But the goodbyes they had shared with their kwamis earlier made it all seem so final somehow, despite the promises to visit whenever they were able. Adrien lifted his hand, prepared to knock, then looked to Marinette for confirmation. "You sure?"

At her nod, his knuckles struck the door several times.

"Coming!"

"There are a lot of happy memories I'm taking with me. And now I get to take you with me, too." She grabbed his hand and laced their fingers together.

"Ladybug, Chat Noir. I've been expecting you." Master Fu smiled and swung the door wide, inviting them in.

"You have, sir?" Adrien asked.

"Of course. Once I had both the butterfly and peacock miraculous back within my possession, I knew it was just a matter of time before you paid me a visit."

Marinette's jaw dropped. "B-b-back? You have them both?"

"Naturally. Where else would they be?"

Speech fled, and with it coherent thought.

Knowing her propensity to get tongue-tied when surprised, Adrien spoke up. "Master Fu, we knew there hadn't been any attacks for several months, but you never told us that they had been returned. Why? We could have brought ours back to you sooner had we known there was no longer a need."

"But there was still a need for you to have them, Chat Noir. You had much to learn before returning them, did you not?" The smile forming at his lips became a wide, knowing grin.

* * *

Leaving Master Fu's flat, Marinette reached for Adrien's hand again. This was quickly becoming a habit with her, but Adrien was very much in favor of it.

They grabbed a carryout lunch from a small deli and headed for the park, enjoying the early afternoon sunshine while they ate.

"You know, before we do anything else, we need to go see Nino and Alya."

Marinette glanced at her watch. "Now should be a good time. Even if they were up late with Aimee, it should be fine."

"Good. While no one could be happier than we are, if anyone could come close, it would be them. They have been more subtle over the past few years, but they've always been looking for ways to put us together." He popped a grape into his mouth.

Suddenly, all color drained from her face. "Adrien! How am I going to explain us to Alya?"

Adrien looked confused. "I thought we were just going to say we had been getting to know each other for a while, keeping it quiet because of my high visibility, only now deciding to go public?"

"That will work with everyone else, but not Alya! She will kill me! She's my best friend, and I didn't tell her I'd been secretly seeing my high school crush after all these years?" Marinette groaned, then inhaled sharply as another thought came to her. "What about Nino?"

"Well, I never said anything to him. I thought about it, during our first year in college, but once I decided against asking Alya to set us up, there was no point to it. What if he'd known how I felt, and then I resisted a matchmaking attempt? I had no way to explain that."

"All. Through. High. School." Marinette wished for a convenient brick wall against which to knock her head. Repeatedly. "She knows I focused on moving on that summer, she walked with me through it. But it is completely unbelievable that when we did start seeing each other, even years later, I wouldn't have floated right over to tell her."

"So, did you tell her about your new crush, then?" Adrien leaned closer, arm sliding along the top of the bench. He quirked an eyebrow the way Chat Noir often did when he was flirting and that smile would have made her knees wobble had they not already been sitting down.

Marinette elbowed him. "Focus, Kitty. And no, she had no idea that I'd been meeting you more and more frequently as Chat Noir."

He grinned. "Why not? Surely she'd understand the magnetism that pulled you irresistibly in my direction." He shifted slightly and tightened his hand on her far shoulder to pull her nearer, nestling her at his side. When she leaned her head onto his chest and sighed, he closed his eyes and relished the moment before he spoke again.

"I really enjoyed those hours we shared on your balcony, Marinette."

"Me, too." He could hear the smile in her voice.

"The only thing was, it did cause a bit of a problem for me at the wedding."

She lifted her head to look up at him. "Nino and Alya's?"

He nodded, then laughed softly, even though he didn't seem all that amused. "I have to tell you, that was its own special brand of torture. Being with you at all those events, dancing with you, holding you in my arms without the mask, finally, but I couldn't say anything."

"Is that—is that why—? Alya said something seemed to have shifted. She joked that one wedding usually brings on another, and that you were looking at me—differently."

"Uh—yeah. I was afraid of that. Their wedding was when I first began to seriously consider revealing myself to you, giving us a chance to be together like this, maybe having a future like theirs. I wanted to be more than your old friend, Adrien."

"I had no idea. And I wouldn't have figured it out, either, since we hardly saw you after your final year of schoolwork became so intense."

"Did it?" He kissed the tip of her nose, finding her confused expression at his words adorable. "Adrien wasn't around much, but perhaps you noticed a marked increase in Chat Noir's visits? Their wedding and all the stuff that went along with it had ruined me, Milady. I had to avoid you as Adrien because it was too hard to hide how I felt, especially with no mask to cover my face.

"Every time I saw you while Adrien, I wanted to tease you, to get you to smile at me like you did on the balcony. I craved those little touches that come with being close to someone, the slight brush of your hand, absently rubbing your back as we talked, draping my arm across your shoulders as we sat in comfortable silence.

"I wanted to wrap my arms around you, bury my face in your hair, and never let go. But you didn't know that we had spent all that time together, getting closer. It would have looked like it came out of nowhere. So if I couldn't do that as Adrien, I had to do it more often as Chat Noir." He kissed the top of her head and squeezed her shoulder gently.

Her jaw dropped. "That was why?" She was silent for a moment, then giggled. "Alya kept inviting me over to their apartment all the time, worried her comments about you had caused some sort of lovesick relapse. I told her I was fine, and I loved her for trying to help. But I couldn't tell her I turned them down most of the time so I could hang out on my balcony, hoping a certain cat might get lost on his way home." She leaned away slightly, then nudged his shoulder with her own.

His answering grin came swiftly, and had he not already turned in his miraculous, he would have surely been purring.


	6. A Slip of the Silver Tongue

Author's Note: What I had intended to be one chapter for the reveal to Nino and Alya became at least two. So, if you're wondering at this point how much more to expect, there will be at least two more chapters after this one before I mark this fic complete. Thanks for reading.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from _Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir_ and I make no profit from this story. No copyright infringement is intended I'm just enjoying some time with a few of my favorite television characters. The story is mine, except where directly quoting or referencing episodes.

* * *

For the second time that day, Adrien and Marinette stood outside a door with a story to tell. Marinette knew the visit was going to be tricky, but she was looking forward to sharing this with their best friends.

The door opened, and her slightly tired friend's face was transformed by a wide smile. "Marinette! Adrien! Come in, guys—did I forget we were getting together today, or is this a surprise?"

"Uh—no. Nothing on the calendar. But we did want to talk to you guys, if you have a second." Marinette preceded Adrien into the apartment, but in her nervousness, forgot to let go of his hand. Alya's eyes grew large at the sight. "Yeah, this _is_ a surprise. Nino!"

"Al—ya—! I just got Aimee to sleep!" Newly screaming infant in his arms, an exhausted Nino entered their living room. "What could be so important— Dude! Nevermind." He grinned as he noticed their hands, even as the baby screamed on.

Marinette reached for Aimee, dragging Adrien's arm part of the way, then realized her mistake and turned a shade of crimson he hadn't seen on her face in years. She released his hand, then lifted the squalling child from her father's arms. "Aimee," she cooed, "tante Marinette came to see you."

The little girl stopped screaming and looked at Marinette with a quizzical expression so sweet it made her forget to be embarrassed about holding Adrien's hand. "You want to know why, don't you?"

Alya popped her hands on her hips. "Girl, whether she wants to know or not, you'd better spill, and now. Sleep deprived parents get cranky fast."

* * *

After getting Aimee calmed and back to her crib for a much-needed nap, Alya turned her attention to making some coffee.

"You guys want any? We're living on the stuff right now."

Anything to give her hands something to do besides clenching them in her lap. "Yes, please. I'd love a cup."

Adrien sat next to Marinette, his arm extended behind her as it lay across the top of the couch, tracing lazy patterns over her shoulder and the top of her arm.

"So—uh—Dude—" Nino struggled for the next words, trying to keep his grin from showing, since Adrien clearly had no conscious idea he was doing that. "Uh—what brings you by?"

"Well, we had something we wanted to tell you guys."

"Don't you dare start the conversation without me! I'll be there in a minute!" Alya's voice carried from the kitchen, but didn't have enough volume to disturb the baby.

When she entered with a cup of coffee in each hand, extending one to Marinette, she didn't miss Adrien's arm around her friend. How did this happen? After all this time, who finally made the move?

"Can I bring you one, Adrien?"

"Nahhh, I'm good. Thanks."

Alya sat next down on the floor next to Nino's spot on the loveseat, one arm draped over his knees while her other hand held the mug. She focused on Marinette and Adrien. "Okay. We're all ears."

* * *

Marinette took a deep breath. The warmth from the coffee cup infused her hands and the familiar aroma began to put her at ease. This was Alya, her best friend. It was going to be all right.

They had decided to go with a version of the truth, figuring it would be easier to remember and seem more natural than an outright lie. Adrien would be the one telling them, since Alya could immediately spot when Marinette was stretching the truth.

"So, Marinette and I have been spending more time together," he began.

"We've finally had that discussion you've been recommending for years." Marinette added, a smile overtaking her face. "We've both felt the same way for a while now, but neither one of us knew it."

Alya snorted. "Then you guys were the only ones."

Both looked a bit flustered at her comment, but Adrien continued anyway.

"I started popping in at the bakery after class every once in a while. Sometimes it was to pick up a treat, or something for the next day's breakfast. Lots of times, Marinette wasn't even around, but when she was, we'd talk as she and I would help her folks shut down for the day."

Okay, well, it didn't exactly happen that way, but Adrien had stopped by a couple times that she remembered, and her parents did tell her about a few times she had missed him, too, and said to tell her hello for him.

"One time, we sat at a table for a quick break and completely lost track of the time. It was dark before we knew it. No one had talked to us, and we hadn't noticed anyone coming or going, or even when her parents locked the door and went upstairs for the evening."

Marinette smiled. She remembered that particular day well, but it hadn't been in the bakery and she had no idea it was Adrien. After a rough couple of classes that afternoon, all she wanted was to put her feet up with a bowl of ice cream and the remote control. But when she came home, her parents had been slammed with customers. So instead of relaxing, she helped them finish up and clean up, and then taken a couple sweets and a thermos of coffee up to her balcony. She hadn't been up there long when Chat had stopped by.

It wasn't the first time he had done so, but it seemed different somehow, that perhaps he had sensed she needed a friend, and maybe a hug. Although there was no dire event to discuss, it helped to process her frustrations with someone unconnected to the situation.

"Then I found myself doing it more often, several times a week, even. It became a comfortable habit. We'd talk about how our days went, make each other laugh. If I didn't go see her, for just a minute or two, my day wasn't right. I—uh—I think I was in the middle before I knew I had even begun to fall in love with Marinette. But your wedding was what really opened my eyes to how deep I was."

"I knew it!" Alya crowed, but thankfully Aimee still slept soundly.

Adrien laughed. "After that, I did, too."

"But you dropped off the map—schoolwork, right?"

Adrien blushed a bit. "No. I panicked." While strictly true, it didn't cast him in the best light, but he'd take the hit to protect their bigger secret. "Being together like that made me see her differently, but I didn't want to scare her away. We'd been 'just friends' for so long, and I didn't want to ruin what we had. But I wanted more and I wasn't sure what my next step should be."

Marinette placed her hand over his and squeezed. She could hardly tell Alya that she had fallen, too, but with Chat, and was just as lost about what to do about her feelings at the time.

"I started doing things without her knowing it was me," he began. He couldn't tell them he'd been wearing a mask to visit her anonymously, so he improvised a bit with the details. "I left small gifts where she'd find them. My favorite was a single, red rose, left on the very table where we had spent so long talking."

That had actually been the only gift he'd really left, and it was at the small table on her balcony where her coffee cup and the thermos top he'd sipped from had rested while they talked that night. Marinette remembered finding that the next day, and how her heart stopped, then took off at a full gallop.

"Girl! You had a secret admirer and didn't tell me about it?"

They probably should've anticipated that response.

"Honestly, Alya. I thought I was reading too much into it. I wanted to believe it meant what I thought it did, but I—I was scared."

Adrien's head snapped around. "You didn't know I meant exactly what that rose implied? I thought for sure leaving it in that particular spot was a dead giveaway, Milady."

"I—uh—well—" Marinette became a bit flustered and had trouble finding the right words.

"Hold on. I thought you said you did it anonymously. How could she know you meant it, if she didn't even know that you were the one who'd left it?"

He couldn't tell her it was on Marinette's balcony so she knew it had been from him, but the him in question was Chat Noir, so technically, it was still anonymous.

"Well—uh—I—"

Alya waited silently. She'd give them time and watch their little cover story implode. Then she could get the truth out of them. What exactly were they hiding, anyway? They had obviously been together much longer than a couple of days. So why the secrecy, and why keep it from their friends?

Both Marinette and Adrien tried to recover, but ultimately had to admit it was over as their stammering slowed to nothing. With that minor slip between his Adrien and Chat Noir identities, the entirety of their carefully constructed cover story went out the window. What could they say now?

"Girl, you know your stammering is a huge tell, right, since you haven't done that since high school, unless you're trying to hide something? And I don't even know what to make of Adrien doing the same thing, unless he's caught it from you. If you think for a moment that I didn't notice you holding hands when you came in, you're out of your mind—I have been waiting for this for _years_. Plus, Adrien hasn't been able to go more than 30 seconds without touching you in some way." She nodded toward his arm draped over Marinette's shoulder.

Adrien drew back his arm like it had been burned.

Nino laughed. "Too late, Dude. She misses nothing. And you guys aren't exactly good at hiding it. Do you realize you're using pet names and all? What's the real story?"

Marinette and Adrien looked at each other, both asking the same silent question, then she nodded.

"Okay, then. I guess it really doesn't have to be a secret with you guys any longer, but what we're about to tell you cannot go any further. You guys remember back to the days when you occasionally helped out Ladybug and Chat Noir?"

"Helped?"

Marinette smiled. She had her. Alya couldn't scold them for keeping the same secrets she had kept all these years, now could she?

"You know, as Rena Rouge and Carapace?"


	7. Everything Now

Author's Note: Special thanks to mayuralover who pointed out a glaring error that I missed in editing. I have adjusted this chapter to reflect what I meant, as opposed to what I wrote, and she was gracious enough to confirm it makes sense this time. Thanks again for the catch, mayuralover!

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from _Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir_ and I make no profit from this story. No copyright infringement is intended I'm just enjoying some time with a few of my favorite television characters. The story is mine, except where directly quoting or referencing episodes.

* * *

Alya's jaw dropped. Then she closed it. It dropped again. The effect left her looking a little fishlike. Nino just stared at his wife, shocked into total silence.

Adrien was surprised, too; Nino had never told him a thing. But he quickly realized that it meant they could come completely clean with their best friends and his face took on a mischievous gleam. If they were shocked by Marinette knowing their secret from back in the day, what would their reaction be to knowing who now sat in their living room? This was going to be fun.

"Alya! You're Rena Rogue?" Adrien's gasp was a little over the top, but he was feeling a bit Chat-like tonight, especially if they were going to tell them the whole story.

"How—how did—I mean—w—what are you talking about?"

Adrien pulled out his cell phone and pretended to start a video. "Mrs. Lahiffe, can you confirm that you are indeed Rena Rouge? This is for your blog, so please, speak clearly."

Alya grabbed a throw pillow and used it to shove Adrien's phone back toward him. "Shut up, Adrien." She seemed to be recovering.

She turned a sassy glare Marinette's way. "I think that finally kissing Adrien has caused a short-circuit in your brain, girl! Where are you getting this nonsense?"

Marinette blushed intensely. Adrien grinned. And here he thought she had largely outgrown blushing around him.

Thinking she had silenced the inquiry, Alya got up to refill her long-since empty coffee cup and catch her breath. From behind her, Marinette said, "Alya Cesaire. Here is the miraculous of the fox, which grants the power of illusion. You will use it for the greater good. Once the job is done, you will return the miraculous to me. Can I trust you?"

Alya turned slowly and sank heavily onto the arm of the loveseat. The fish imitation returned as she struggled for words.

"What exactly are you telling me right now, Marinette?" she finally choked out.

"If you want the real story of how Adrien and I became a couple, there are several things you need to understand first. Ladybug and Chat Noir had to keep their identities secret to be effective superheroes—from their family, their closest friends, even each other."

Alya looked at her, listening but unsure what them being a couple had to do with the secret identities of Ladybug and Chat Noir, or how she knew the exact words Ladybug had spoken to her all those years ago.

"Wait. Are you telling me that Ladybug gave you a miraculous back then? Is that how you know what she said to me, since she said the same thing to you?"

Marinette just smiled and waited as Alya continued to process. Three, two, one—

Alya let loose a loud squeal and jumped to her feet; the sound was quickly muffled by Nino's hand over her mouth after he leapt from the loveseat to silence her. "Aimee, love, remember Aimee. Let her sleep if you want to hear all of this, 'cause I'm not going anywhere if you wake her up. This is too good!"

She nodded, but while the sound coming from her was quieter, there was no doubt she had pieced together the identity of Ladybug. Nino drew her to sit down beside him on the loveseat, his arm around her waist.

"All this time? It was you this _whole_ time? Every time you disappeared from school? All those times you were late for class? When you had 'something' come up and you cancelled plans we'd had for weeks? I totally should've known!"

Marinette laughed. She could see Alya's memory replaying all the lame excuses she had ever used for what happened to her at the weirdest times. "Adrien and I had this very conversation a couple days ago, Alya. We hid in plain sight. It was the most effective disguise we had."

"We?" Her head pivoted toward Adrien. "We! How long have you known?"

Adrien raised his hands in surrender. "A couple days is all, I swear!"

"We?" She looked down, mumbling to herself for a moment, then her eyes snapped back toward Adrien. "I told Marinette you looked like Chat Noir back in high school—she denied it! Right to my face! She said you were way more—never mind."

Adrien laughed. "She had no idea, either. Not until a few days ago. But I would like to hear more about this conversation you had back then." He looked at Marinette and drew her closer to him, kissing her cheek, then leaving his hand cupped around the top of her arm.

"Later, Kitty." She leaned into the side hug. "I think Alya may still have a few questions for us."

"Questions? Oh, no. No questions. Because you're going to tell me. Everything. Now."

* * *

"Most of what you already know is the truth. My huge crush on Adrien, how you helped me get over it and act mostly sane in his presence, his disappearance after your wedding. The part you don't know yet is that Chat Noir had been dropping by my balcony."

"I started back in high school. The first time was a fluke. I had—ahem—been stood up by Ladybug—"

"Chat—" Marinette warned.

"Sorry. That's how it felt, even if it isn't strictly the truth. I didn't feel like going home, so I just roamed the rooftops, until I came across Marinette's balcony. She was looking out over the city, and didn't look much better than I did. We talked for a bit, and she admitted her heart had been broken, too. So I decided to cheer her up."

"Hold up. Are you seriously telling me that you cheered Marinette up on her balcony, as Chat Noir, when she was upset over Adrien?"

Now it was Adrien's turn to look shocked. "Me? I had put that look on your face that night?"

"You didn't know." Marinette shrugged her shoulders. "And to be fair, I had put the same look on yours as Ladybug."

"Dude! You two were an even bigger mess than we knew! Marinette liked Adrien, who was Chat Noir, who liked Ladybug, who was Marinette. And you still didn't get together!"

They all laughed at that. It was easy to do with the misunderstandings now behind them and Adrien's arm wrapped around her.

"It gets better, Nino. As Chat Noir, I visited her balcony occasionally for a couple years, and enjoyed talking to her, getting to know her better, then more often as we neared graduation. In college, I started wondering if I should let you guys set us up finally, but I didn't want to mess up the friendship, like I said earlier. But I couldn't stay away, so I kept going as Chat."

"I knew it! I knew one day you'd see how awesome our girl was!" Alya, at least, hadn't ever lost hope, even though she stopped mentioning it to Marinette.

"I did. But at your wedding, I realized my mistake. I wanted to be able to openly pursue her, date her, but there was no history for her and Adrien beyond friends. And I couldn't stand the thought of starting over, and she would have figured it out anyway and wondered why I never told her. So I decided to turn in my miraculous and tell her the truth. We could start with a clean slate and tell everyone else we'd been secretly dating for a while."

"You were the only problem, Alya. I knew you'd be hurt I hadn't told you about Adrien, so we tried to come up with a story you'd believe." Marinette shrugged. "This is better, anyway. You should've seen your faces!

"The gifts were made up as was him helping at the bakery, but he had been coming by almost every evening as Chat. The rose was true, but he left it on my balcony. I knew it was from him, just not that he was Adrien, too."

"You had no idea then, that you were falling in love with Adrien, all over again?" Alya shook her head, then gave them both a fake glare. "You do realize you guys have been dating for _years_ ," her emphasis on years was heavy, "on your balcony, and you didn't tell me?"

Marinette blushed. "I was hopeless, Alya. I had already had a crush on one guy who was completely out of my league, only to recover and then start falling for another, this one a superhero? It was embarrassing."

Alya moved across the floor, sat down on the other side of Marinette and grabbed her free hand. "Girl, you know that never mattered, right? It was only a matter of time until someone" she speared Adrien with a look, "woke up to the fact that you are the most amazing woman on the planet. Until then, I was here for you, whatever you needed, whoever you were crushing on and however rotten you may have felt."

Adrien rubbed her back, lending support with a thoughtful look on his face. "To set the record straight, you were always the one out of my league, Milady." He kissed her temple and waited for a more private moment to tell her what was burning in his chest at that moment.


	8. The Treasure Behind the Mask

Author's Note: Special thanks to mayuralover who pointed out a glaring error that I missed in editing the last chapter. I adjusted that final paragraph to reflect what I meant, as opposed to what I wrote, and she was gracious enough to confirm it makes sense this time. Thanks again for the catch, mayuralover! My apologies to those who may have been confused.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from _Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir_ and I make no profit from this story. No copyright infringement is intended I'm just enjoying some time with a few of my favorite television characters. The story is mine, except where directly quoting or referencing episodes.

* * *

After a lot of laughing, some more teasing, and the most fun she'd had with her friends in years, Adrien drove Marinette home and walked her inside.

The soft security lights in the bakery cast a glow across their path as she closed the door behind them.

"Well, that wasn't what I expected, but I don't regret the way it happened, not at all."

"Me, either, Milady. It was an eye-opening evening, for all of us. Tell me, was I completely clueless or just blind?"

Marinette laughed. "Come on, Kitty. We've been over this already. You weren't looking for your friends behind the masks. I knew who they were since I gave them the miraculous, but you had no part of that. They were stunned about our identities—if we fooled our best friends for so long, and kept the owner of the Ladyblog in the dark, why should you be exempt from a surprise or two?"

"Hmmm. I suppose."

She kissed his cheek, then moved toward the stairs, assuming he'd follow. Instead, he stopped her by catching her hand and pulling her back toward him. She looked at him expectantly.

"Marinette, about what you said at Alya's—did you really not understand what I was saying with that rose, or was that part of the cover story we were telling? I was trying to be clear with you, and I thought you recognized that we were getting closer, moving toward something."

She sighed and dropped her gaze. "Adrien, I—I—"

He pulled her close, kissing the top of her head. "Tell me," he said gently.

Her arms moved to circle his waist. She felt safe and loved in his embrace, and not having to look at his face while she admitted how confused she had been would make it a little easier to share how she had been feeling at the time.

"I had fallen for you, Kitty. But I didn't have much hope that you'd return those feelings. You have to admit my track record with guys was never very impressive."

"I don't know about that, Marinette. I can think of a couple hearts you broke through the years. Nathan? Luka? That guy in college that Nino and I had to warn off? How about the sculptor who had a crush on Ladybug and wanted to replace me? And we can't forget your superhero partner, hmm?" He kissed her forehead.

"The only one that had mattered was the one I loved but who never loved me back. The _real_ me." She looked up at his face. "Adrien, giving you up wasn't easy after high school. I was afraid I was headed for the same ending with Chat, so I tried to talk myself out of what I hoped might be happening." She buried her face in his chest again, soothed by his nearness and his arms still holding her close while she spoke.

"At first I chalked the visits up to you enjoying time with someone who didn't care about your celebrity status, or someone who knew about your unrequited love for Ladybug and had felt the same sting of rejection. I convinced myself the hugs were friendly greetings or shared comfort after a bad day, or even your notoriously flirty personality. After all, Chat had gotten over Ladybug eventually—what would stop him from moving on from a normal girl like Marinette?"

"I'd like to remind you that I didn't get over Ladybug at all, but finally understood I had a deeper connection to someone else, that I'd fallen in love, with _you_ , Marinette."

She looked up at him. "At the time, all I knew was that Chat Noir had suddenly quit being interested in the super-version of me. In my terrified mind, it was just a matter of time until everyday me faded from his thoughts, too."

He caressed her cheek gently, his hand resting at her jawline. "Yes, I was first attracted to Ladybug. I admired your strength, your willingness to protect the people of Paris, your courage in the face of insurmountable odds. I appreciated the way we worked together as a team and counted it as evidence in my teenage mind that we belonged together. Then I realized how shallow it was in comparison to how I was feeling about a not-so-everyday girl I had been getting to know better."

Adrien paused, making sure he had her full attention, pulling her back from the painful memories that had surfaced as she remembered her uncertainty. He needed her to hear his heart, to know it was fully hers. He moved his hand lower on her cheek and lifted her face a bit, silently pleading with her to look up.

Once her eyes met his again, she saw an intensity there she had never seen before, powerful emotions barely contained beneath the surface. Her breath caught in her throat.

"I chose _you_. Marinette is the one I revealed myself to, the one I needed to know all of me. Marinette is the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. It's always been you, so much more than normal, extraordinary, selfless, kind, beautiful Marinette. You're the one I love."

He held eye contact as he moved his hand behind her neck, and gently tugged her closer to him, until she was a mere breath away. Then he closed his eyes as she did and kissed her, a long, lingering kiss that left her mind muddled and her knees weak, but certain of how he felt.

Leaning his forehead against hers, he moved his hands gently up and down her back several times, then pulled her into a tight hug. Leaning down slightly, he spoke quietly into her ear. "I was only ever impressed by you, Milady. My love for you has deepened by knowing both sides, but Marinette has always been the treasure behind the mask. Never doubt that. I don't."


	9. Learning Normal

Author's Note: Contains possible spoilers for "Weredad," an episode of S3 that has not aired in the US yet. I haven't seen it, so I'm just going off the spoilers I have heard, which may or may not be accurate.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from _Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir_ and I make no profit from this story. No copyright infringement is intended I'm just enjoying some time with a few of my favorite television characters. The story is mine, except where directly quoting or referencing episodes.

* * *

The only reason her legs were still supporting her was Adrien's hand at the small of her back, infusing warmth and life and the certainty she was not alone. She had always thought the house was impressive, but it came across as sterile and a little cold. She much preferred the home she grew up in.

"Father, Nathalie, you remember Marinette?"

"Of course. Miss Dupain-Cheng. Adrien mentioned your friendship has recently grown into something more. I find you accepta—" Nathalie's elbow moved almost imperceptibly into his side. "—ahem, exceptional." And he smiled. Smiled? Adrien could count on one hand the number of times he'd seen a similar expression on Gabriel Agreste's face.

Adrien carefully hid his amusement at this development. Change was a remarkable thing. First, that Nathalie had that kind of power over his father, second, that he had apparently given it to her; no one could _make_ his father do anything. My, my. What other changes had he missed since moving out a few years ago, no longer seeing the day-to-day here at the mansion? Dinner was going to be more interesting than he had thought.

* * *

The following week was decidedly more relaxed. For Marinette, anyway.

"Hello Adrien, come in, come in." Tom stepped back from the door, then closed it behind him.

"Good evening, sir."

"Sir? Adrien, you've known us long enough that I don't think we need that level of formality, do we? You've been calling me Tom for a while now, how about we just stick with that?"

He released the breath he hadn't known he was holding. "I'd like that, Tom." It felt weird, calling Marinette's dad that, even though he'd done it in the past. But things were different now. He wasn't here as Marinette's friend. He was here to pick her up, as her _date_ , for the first time.

The silence stretched between them until Adrien noticed a somewhat sheepish look come over Tom's face. "Adrien, I—I'm not sure how to go about this. I did it once, very wrongly, and it did not turn out well."

How well Adrien remembered—or should he say Chat Noir remembered? Tom had not been pleased that the superhero was uninterested in dating his daughter, who had just professed her love. He'd become an akuma victim then, and locked Marinette in a tower created to protect her from heartbreak. Maybe he should have started calling her Milady back then—it would have been appropriate.

Before the thought could appear as a grin on his face, Adrien schooled his features and waited to hear what else Tom would say.

"I know you have been friends for years, Adrien. But I also know Marinette has cared far beyond friendship for many of those years, without a return. That's not your fault," he hastened to add, "but it is true. She's so happy right now, but please, don't hurt my girl. She deserves to be happy. That's what her mom and I want for her."

Adrien looked Tom directly in the eye. "Sir—Tom—I thought long and hard about my feelings for Marinette before deciding to change our relationship. I weighed the risks, the challenges, the benefits. I have come to care for Marinette deeply—I love her. I think I may have for a long time before I admitted it to myself. I give you my word, I won't ever hurt her intentionally."

Tom grinned. "In that case—I believe Marinette might almost be ready." He slung his arm around Adrien's shoulders as they headed for the stairs. "And, if you wouldn't mind, could we keep this conversation between the two of us?"

* * *

"Papa! You didn't!" Marinette groaned as her hands covered her face, too late to keep the red from springing into her cheeks.

"Well, sweetheart—" he looked to his wife, hoping some support would ease the tension in the room. A scowl was his reward.

Adrien stepped forward. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out why, after swearing him to secrecy downstairs, Tom Dupain would enter the room announcing Adrien's arrival and that he had been "properly vetted" before being allowed upstairs.

"No, it's okay. Really. After a joke Marinette and I shared before, about us becoming a 'normal' couple, I figured she'd put you up to it." He winked in Marinette's direction, hoping her parents missed it.

He knew better, of course. Marinette certainly wasn't ready to bring her parents in on the teasing they shared when they were alone, laced with dual-identity jokes only they would understand. One day, perhaps, but not today.

After some visiting with her parents, they headed for the car and a dinner reservation he had made the week before. He opened her door and made sure she was settled, then walked around to the driver's side.

"Adrien? I'm really sorry about that," Marinette said as he closed the door.

He sent her that flirtatious grin, then leaned towards her seat and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "No worries, Milady. I did ask for it, if you recall."

She smiled. "Perhaps, but still—asking and receiving are two different things, aren't they?"

"You're worth every minute of every interrogation I may face."

She sighed and let her eyes slide shut in contentment. This felt good. Right. Past insecurities laid to rest, a bright future ahead with, would she have ever believed it, Adrien at her side.

"I love you, Kitty."


	10. Epilogue

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews, the reads, the favorites, and the follows. All are appreciated. With this chapter, the story is now complete—I hope you have enjoyed it.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from _Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir_ and I make no profit from this story. No copyright infringement is intended I'm just enjoying some time with a few of my favorite television characters. The story is mine, except where directly quoting or referencing episodes.

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Adrien was possibly the biggest wreck he had ever been in his life. Marinette was in pain and he could do nothing but hold her hand and tell her she was doing great, that it was almost over.

He'd had moments of nervousness in the past few years, sure. Like the night he proposed. He'd found her parents alone that afternoon, knowing Marinette was on a girls only shopping excursion since he'd been the one to ask Alya to take her. After telling Tom and Sabine he wanted to marry Marinette, they had tearfully welcomed him to the family and launched into helping him get ready before she returned home.

He wanted to ask Marinette to be his wife in the place where he first realized he loved her, visiting her as Chat Noir on her balcony. He scattered rose petals and lit candles all around to cast a romantic glow, placed a golden bell and a ladybug charm on the small side table next to the ring box, then got dressed in his finest tuxedo and waited for his lady to arrive. He did his best not to crush the petals as he paced back and forth in anticipation.

When Marinette finally ascended to her balcony, she was dressed in a beautiful red dress he'd never seen her wear before. Knowing she hadn't been shopping in that, he quickly surmised she knew what was coming, but her delight was evident at his efforts to make the evening special. Down on one knee, he slid the ring onto her finger when she said 'yes,' right before she threw herself into his arms, kissing him until he forgot what question he had been asking.

And almost a year later, waiting at the front of the church for his bride had been excruciating. He watched breathlessly as she finally entered on her father's arm, wearing the dress she had designed and sewn herself, the one she refused to let him see until that moment. She was the single most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and she was walking slowly towards _him_. The moment his eyes connected with hers, he knew that every bit of nerves was worth it for the future they'd share.

The nurse's excited voice broke through his memories.

"It's a boy!"

Marinette smiled up at him, exhausted but joyful. The nurse laid the baby on her chest and Adrien's heart was full to overflowing.

He kissed the top of Marinette's head and then gazed down at the tiny bundle in her arms, bringing his hand up to cup the side of his son's face in amazement. "You did good, Milady. He's perfect, just like his Momma."

Then he spoke tenderly to his firstborn. "Hello, Little Man. I'm your papa."

The last transformation of Chat Noir was complete.


End file.
